


Hand in Hand, Right to the End

by 1f_this_be_madness



Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: 80s queen, A Kind of Magic album, Affection, Band Fic, Band family is best family, Best Friends, Brian is a perfectionist, Epic Friendship, Fred and Deacy love each other, Freddie Mercury has the biggest heart in the world, Freddie is so generous with his affection, Gen, Hugs, John Deacon is shy and sweet and adorable, John Deacon is so supportive, John is so sassy I love it, One Shot, Roger Taylor acts like a child, Roger is too once he stops being an idiot, Songwriting, Swearing, These boys are so cute it's going to be the death of me I swear, so is Brian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2020-01-15 15:35:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18501892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1f_this_be_madness/pseuds/1f_this_be_madness
Summary: "You've got to be the most gifted songwriter I know, Freddie.""You're sweet, but I could really use your help on this one, Deacy darling." Fred's brown eyes hold John's light ones, and the bassist dips his face and smiles.(Or, Freddie enlists John's aid in writing 'Friends Will Be Friends'.)





	Hand in Hand, Right to the End

_Another red-letter day, so the pound has dropped and the children are creating. The other half ran away--taking all the cash and leaving you with the lumber. Got a pain in your chest, doctor's on strike, what you need is a rest..._

"It's not easy, love, but you've got friends you can trust," Freddie Mercury murmurs, putting down his pen and running one hand through his hair in agitation. He is attempting to compose a new song, but the rest of the words aren't coming. He could ask Brian or Roger what they think, but both have stepped out for a bit, and frankly he doesn't want to hear Bri's inevitable intellectual breakdown of the words, asking him "Well what's the story in this song, Fred?" And Roger would just pipe up "Needs more drums!" He loves them both, but...

Fred looks up to see John quietly enter the studio with a bob of his head and a smile for their producer. Deacy strips off his blue jean jacket to flash a pastel shirt bright like the sun that he is. And Freddie gets a flash--he wants his dear friend to have a chance to shine. Deacy should help him write this song.

"Hullo Fred," John's voice is as soothing as ever, quiet and gentle and calm as he walks over. "Are you writing?"

Freddie sighs loudly and reaches out to him. John obediently comes up close and curls an arm round Freddie's shoulders in a hug. Fred briefly clasps him round the waist. "Yes I am, John, dear--I have the beginning of a new song, but I need help. Something that truly _cooks_." He snaps his fingers and catches the other's eyes. "Will you help me finish?"

John's hazel-grey eyes widen beneath his fluffy brown fringe. His patented self-deprecating modesty breaks out: "Oh no, surely I couldn't add anything. You've got to be the most gifted songwriter I know, Freddie."

"You're sweet, but I could really use your help on this one, Deacy darling." Fred's brown eyes hold John's light ones, and the bassist dips his face and smiles.

"...Okay," he sits down beside his friend, pulling a chair close to the singer and basking in his loving warmth. He clears his throat. "What have you got so far?"

Freddie beams and croons the words to him. John hears a wistfulness there, similar in some ways to 'Under Pressure', but the last bit Freddie's got sounds hopeful, and before he knows it, he is singing, deeply and unabashedly, the way he can only do for Freddie: 

_"Friends will be friends, when you're in need of love, they give you care and attention. Friends will be friends--"_ John sings right to Freddie, love pouring from his vocals. He hopes his friend can feel it because he means every single word.

 _"When you're through with life and all hope is lost, hold out your hand 'cause friends will be friends,"_ John's fingers twitch as he extends them and his entire face lights up as Freddie automatically takes John's hand in his own. _"...right til the end!"_

Freddie's eyes are warm and bright, and he has a lump in his throat that he swallows as he squeezes John's fingers. He is so thankful for this man's esteem. "This is wonderful, darling. I love it."

John ducks his head, flashing his teeth in another smile, this one smaller, sweet. His cheeks flush in response to Freddie's praise. "Thanks. I think you have it starting off quiet, magnificent; a bit lonely like 'Under Pressure' or how, mm 'Save Me' worked. And then, then it gets jaunty."

Fred is nodding, he lets go of John to tap his fingers on the edge of the table in a stacatto beat. "Right, subvert the ears of the listeners--start off adagio and get to allegro. Brilliant!" He pats the bassist's cheek with enthusiastic affection and John leans into the touch, savouring it before Freddie takes up his pen again and scratches John's lovely lyrics onto his sheet of paper. "Alright, let's get on."

They end up with three more choruses and a cheeky second verse from Freddie about a stolen phone number. "Now, we've got to give Brian space for a solo, of course," John says.

"Of course," Freddie agrees. "And Roger's drums."

"So I was thinking, in the break between the second and third choruses, here--" John taps the spot on their paper. "Give Rog a one, two and space for a good backbeat, right." He bends over the spot and scribbles a note.

Freddie studies his friend with softness in his eyes. "You always pay such close attention, Deaks," he murmurs. "You give everyone their place to shine." 

John shrugs, slightly discomfited by the praise. "Ah, you know I just don't want the spotlight ALL to myself," he cracks.

Freddie chuckles. "Of course not, darling. How noble of you." He bounces out of his chair suddenly, too excited to sit any longer. He strokes John's hair with the back of his hand. "--I'll work the drums for a bit and we can call the others in." He enters the recording room itself and sits behind Roger's drumset.

John whistles and shakes his head, pressing the button for the intercom. "You better not tell Roger!" Freddie giggles like a naughty child and John shoots him a wink.

...And then here come Brian and Roger through the door with Peter and David behind; Rog is bawling out something and then he stops dead. "... What's going on?" His big blue eyes narrow as he whips them back and forth between the frontman and the bassist. His voice grows husky. "Freddie?"

"Hey, John," Brian vocalises gently, coming up behind the bassist and rubbing his shoulders. "What's up, then, mate?"

John tips his head back with a smile for Brian. "I've got a solo spot for ya, Bri."

"--We're writing a song, Roger darling!" Freddie crows as Rog stomps into the studio space and glares at him in ireful suspicion.

"Oh, so what, did you decide YOU'RE doing drums, Freddie??" The blond drummer demands, body tensed up, coiled. Freddie's lips press together as memories of misunderstandings that surfaced during the recording of _Hot Space_ well up in response to the shock and dawning hurt in Roger's sweet eyes.

Then John flicks on the intercom again and counts out a beat. One, two. "Another red-letter day--" Roger jumps as he hears the rough low voice of the bassist, so much stronger and louder than usual as he sings, voice slightly cracking with what sound like nerves. "It's not easy, love, but you've got friends you can trust."

Freddie beams in thanks and continues in his warm, purring vocals: "Friends will be friends, when you're in need of love they give you care and attention. Friends will be friends, when you're through with life and all hope is lost," Fred stands and spins, dramatically holding out his hand and the drumsticks to Roger, whose facial expression has begun to soften. Brian begins nodding along to the words from his place beside Deacy. "Hold out your hand 'cause friends will be friends--right to the end!!"

Fred holds out the final note and then it is silent but for the intercom's slight buzzing electronic feedback.

"...You both wrote this? Just now?" Brian asks.

John nods, his lips puffing out. "Yep. Well, it did take a bit. And we need your achy guitar tone, Bri. As well as your steady drumbeat, Roger."

Freddie nudges the drummer gently and offers his sticks to him, brows lifted and eyes bright. "What d'you say, darling? Will you play this with us?"

There is a pregnant pause. Roger glances over at Brian through the window, and the tall guitarist's eyes twinkle with fond amusement at the drummer's instantaneous jump to conclusions. He lifts a shoulder but says nothing. This is all on Rog.

Roger looks back to a slowly-growing-anxious Freddie and takes the drumsticks, eyes telegraphing a silent apology that morphs into a gigantic smile. "Hell yes, let's do it!"

**Author's Note:**

> I love John and Freddie's friendship so much! Freddie was so supportive of John's quiet artistry, and John adored Freddie. Also whenever I watch the music video for this song it warms my heart. John seemed so genuinely proud of 'Friends Will Be Friends' and all four band members looked incredibly happy.
> 
> Thanks to Queen for being a wondrous group of men full of seemingly endless talent.
> 
> Comments are welcomed and greatly appreciated, and thank you for reading <3


End file.
